Photo: Collectie Wereldmuseum, Coll.nr. TM-10001540.

On 2 April, Maarten Manse will present his forthcoming book Empire of Improvisation: Taxation and Governance in Colonial Indonesia at KITLV in Leiden. The book examines how colonial authorities in Indonesia developed flexible and improvised systems of taxation and governance, revealing how everyday administrative practices shaped the functioning of empire.

Published by Brill in 2026 as part of the Verhandelingen van het Koninklijk Instituut voor Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde series, the study offers a new perspective on colonial state formation and the production of fiscal knowledge in Southeast Asia.

More information about the book: https://brill.com/display/title/73302

This seminar is a hybrid event and will be held in the conference room of KITLV, Herta Mohr building, room 1.30, Witte Singel 27 A, Leiden and online via Zoom. Registration is done through KITLV’s website.